


Trapped

by Whilst_Mist



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Family Feels, Friends to Lovers, Kidnapping, M/M, Panic Attacks, Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-25
Updated: 2016-04-13
Packaged: 2018-05-03 09:42:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5285900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whilst_Mist/pseuds/Whilst_Mist





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Riddle_of_the_sphinx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riddle_of_the_sphinx/gifts).



Batman and his family had been hunting down Edward Nygma for the passed week.

The reformed Riddler had gone missing over a week ago. Everyone assumed he was turning back to crime. However an inspection the redhead's apartment showed sighs of a struggle, all of Edward's things where still there such as his phone, wallet, open cases he was working on, and most important was Edward's little notebook he carried around everywhere.

They all knew Edward well enough that he would go that long without his phone or without notebook. Another thing was that the house was always spotless. Not only did Edward clean a lot he had a think about things being dirty and sometimes when the would check on him he was often cleaning something.

They looked in all the usually places, they even visited some of the others in Arkham and none of them had heard from Edward, but they also pointed out that the goodie two shoe only visited Jonathan and Harvey.

They asked those two and Jonathan spent most of his time glaring at Batman, Harvey said that Jonathan was getting out in two days that he should follow him because something times the two used to met each other at secret hideouts.

That was the plan but still the searched for the missing Riddler with no luck. It wasn't until Red Robin called in that Jonathan suddenly fell off the grid. They looked into it finding that Jonathan had never made it to the halfway house he was assigned too, but when more time passed there was no sign of him.

Something wasn't adding up.

 

\--

Bruce and Tim where working on their missing person case when a call came in from Barbara. She said he saw Jonathan running down a street looking scared to death and he was wearing the clothes he went missing in.

Luckily they had been at WE at the time so it was close by. Bruce had Tim go change and as himself, Bruce rushed out of the building and headed down that street.

He saw someone stumbling around the corner and it was Jonathan running with a limp. The smaller male looked terrible, his clothes, ripped in some places, his hair wild, glasses were missing, no shoes, and he looked terrified, with tear stains on his face.

Running towards him the other fell and backed away holding his arm up crying out for Bruce not to hit him. leaning down he helped Jonathan up.

"Hey," Bruce said concerned. "Are you alright?"

Jonathan blinked and looked at him. "Mr. Wayne?"

"Yes," Bruce getting on one knee to look over the other. "Are you alright? What happened to you?"

"I need to go," Jonathan said his breathing becoming panic again. "I need to get help! He's after me, he's going to kill me!"

"Who?" Bruce asked pulling him up. "Who's after you?"

"HIM! Jonathan screamed suddenly pointing down the street. "IT'S HIM!"

Bruce whipped around as Jonathan tried to hide in his side sobbing hysterically as his body shook so hard he thought the smaller male was going to fall apart. There up the street was Lyle Bolton.

Lyle Bolton was a huge man with a lot of strength. He used to work for Bruce at his company as head of security until Bruce had recommended him to work for Arkham. That was a mistake that Bruce regretted because instead of keeping everyone safe as the Rouges tried to reform he had taken advantage of them.

The man tormented them, beat them, yelled at them, abused them on so many levels it was sickening. The abuse was every kind. Verbal, physical, psychological, and sexual.

They had found out and the ones that testified again the man had been terrified. Bruce remembered being in that room watched as the three trembled when Bolton went after them. They were like scared little children, so afraid and begging for help.

"Bolton?"

The man glared at them before charging at them. Jonathan screamed holding onto Bruce with a death grip. However Bolton didn't make it towards them when a swish was heard and wire wrapped around the large man's ankles, legs, torso and arms.

Bolton fell with a thud. Looking up Bruce saw Red Robin standing there along with Robin who he must have run into. Robin Jumped down and hauled the man to his feet. Robin might have only been ten but he was stronger than most grown men.

"Lyle Bolton." Robin said. "Batman wants to speak with you."

"Mr. Wayne," Red Robin turned to him. "Will you be alright, sir?"

"Yes."

Jonathan was trying to hid behind him now but didn't let go. it was clear he didn't want the Robins to know who he was but they knew and they hauled Bolton away and into the shadows that man yelling obscene things.

"Are you alright?" Bruce asked pulling Jonathan off him and holding him by the upper arms. "What happened?"

"You need to tell the police," Jonathan said suddenly. "You have to hurry! That monster... he has my friend!"

"You're friend?" Bruce was leading him back to the building. "Who are you talking about?"

"My friend, Edward, he has him!"

\--

Batman showed up in the holding room of a police station. All of his children were there. Nightwing, Red Hood, Red Robin, Black Bat and Robin. All fice of them where looking into the window at Bolton who was just seething there.

"Hey, Boss," Nightwing grinned. "Was Jonathan alright?"

"No." Batman gruffed. "He's been tortured."

The all fell silence.

"Bolton has Edward." Batman glared at the man. "He was moving them when Jonathan escaped, he claims that Bolton was moving them one at a time and he was planning on kidnapping others."

"He knows where Edward is than?" Red Robin spoke up before looking back at the man who was glaring at all of them. "We just need to get an address."

"I'll ask some questions." Nightwing offered but was stopped when Batman stayed still. "Batman?"

"No, asking." Batman walked into the room. "I'll get the answer I need."

All five watched at Batman used some pretty horrible painful techniques on the man and it made most of them wince. Well, everyone except Robin who smirked and he was going to ask to be shown them later.

Batman and his Family showed up at an old house. It was an older house, it had bars on it, a heavy metal door, and it was locked up pretty tight. Batman had them around the house before using some small bombs to break the door down.

Scanning the room he turned on the lights. It looked like a perfect house inside. Everything in it's place. It was incredibly clean. Walking into the entrance way Batman looked around carefully.

A window opened and Black Bat jumped in looking around followed by Red Robin and they looked at him before he looked up. They took off upstairs quickly. There was four bedrooms upstairs so they could be able to search it quickly.

Nightwing and Red Hood came in from the attic and came up with nothing. The went through the kitchen and found that the cabinets, the fridge had locks on them so no one could get something to eat without a key.

"Batman." Robin called. "Over here."

The whole family came running towards the back of the house where Robin was standing in front of a heavily locked door. Batman looked at it before breaking off the locks.

Batman opened it. The door made an eerily groaning noise as it opened up. It was dark so Batman went first and felt around for a switch. He found one and flipped it on. The lights came on in sections. It showed the stairs first, than the floor of the basement, before a table full of ropes, wires, a car battery, matches, knives, cigarettes, fire crackers, sticks, whips, and all other things. Batman held up his hand telling the others to stay back.

Looking towards the back he saw what looked like a box from a prison there. It was only four feet tall and three feet wide. There was a lock on that too. Walking over he paused before breaking it off.

Slowly he opened the cage.

Inside was Edward, slumped sideways with his legs pulled up and his arms wrapped around them. the redhead looked worse for ware. His hair was all kinds lengths, some tangled and knotted. His face was bruised, dark circles under his eyes, he was underweight, ugly black, purple and green bruising on his arms, legs, and had collar clasp around his neck. His tongue was stick out slightly from dehydration.

The green eyes stared at him for a long moment before Edward bursted out into a crying scream lunching himself at him. Batman held the shaking male to him tightly as Edward cried. For the split second Edward had moved showing he was only wearing an old dirty shirt that barely covered him and nothing else.

"Batman!" Edward sobbed into his best. "You came, you came, I knew you would,"

Batman just held him. He could feel his kids hurrying down after hearing the scream. He didn't turn around as he heard Red Hood cursing, Robin's threats, Nightwing's gasp of horror, or Red Robin calling Agent A.

\--

Edward hand't let go of Batman so driving back to the cave was hard to do. The others had continued on tight their patrol. Most of them disturbed after seeing Edward.

Tim had wanted to stay, Tim had always been the most loyal in everything, but Bruce could also see he was feeling sick of seeing the other so hurt. He sent his third son on his way.

They made it to the cave. Bruce carried Edward towards the medical table where Alfred was waiting. He had to pry Edward off him for a second. Edward whimpered trying to latch back onto him.

"It's alright, Eddie, calm down,"

"He's going to get me," Edward sobbed. "He's gong to hurt me,"

"Edward, I swear to you that you're safe here."

"Allow me, sir," Alfred brought a glass of water. "Drink this please,"

"...Water?" Edward looked at it for a moment before grabbing it and drank ti so fast that when he was done he started cough. "More, please?"

"Of course,"

"Edward," Batman lifted the other's chin up. "Be still for a moment."

"No, don't!" Edward pushed his hands away. "It's going to shock me!"

A shock collar? Batman held back a dark growl before looked it over. "I know how to get it off."

"It's going to hurt," Edward cried before he suddenly felt dizzy and swayed. "... Wha...? You... drugged me...?"

"It's just to calm you down," Bruce easily took some tools and within a ten seconds before the calor clicked and came off. "There. Does that feel better?"

"Mm-hm," Edward nodded slwoly. "Thank you..."

"Rest, Eddie, we'll get you cleaned up,"

"Scared..." Edward reached out to hold onto his cape. "Don't leave me... please,"

"I won't. I'll be right here when you wake up," Batman promised as the green eyes slowly closed. "Alfred, we'll need a bath, some clean clothes and I'm going to check for any breaks."

"Of course, Sir,"

Pulling his cowl off Bruce held back the urge to leave and beat the hell out of Bolton before pulling the only clothing off Edward. His ribs could be seen, more bruising on his little body. Check for breaks Bruce paused noticing some dried blood between the legs and his angry boiled.

"Alfred,"

"Yes, sir?"

"Bring me a rape kit."

"...Right away,"

Bolton was going to pay.

Bruce placed a now clean, banged up Edward in the guest bedroom. He took a chair and sat on it. He was going to watch the other all night to make sure he was alright and he was glad before at one point Edward woke up screaming.

It went on like that for the whole night, however when day came something happened. Edward stopped talking, stopped crying and just sat on the bed staring at nothing.

The family was worried.

Bruce was going to help Edward, but he had to say he was grateful when the others said they were going to help too.


	2. Chapter 2

Edward was knocked out cold thanks to some pain medicine.

The redhead was laying on his side and he had one hand under his head and his other arm just over his side and his legs where pulled up as a way of protecting himself. He looked so small now that he had lost so much weight.

The redhead had always been small, only 5'4 and even though he was small Edward was anything but weak. Everyone who knew Edward found the little redhead cute, talkative, and most everyone described him as adorable.

Adorable was a word Edward often referenced himself too. For a while everyone thought that it was a conceited thing until they found out about Edward's passed and all his life he was told he was horrific little thing and so to feel better Edward had started to tell himself he was adorable and one day someone told Edward that he was. That broke the view of him thinking he was a deformed person.

Even the guards at Arkham found the Riddler cute and sometimes gave him extra treats and snacks. The doctors tried to get Edward to eat more because he was slightly underweight all the time.

As it turned out that well he didn't have a high metabolism, but he just didn't hold onto his weight for some reason. At 5'4 Edward was supposed to be between 132 to 140 pounds and instead Edward was always between 119 and 126.

Now when Bruce had took Edward weight the redhead was now a dangerous 98 pounds. That too small, too sick. Edward was skin and bones. Bruce had set up a high calorie diet. Edward loved sweets to he ordered some special made ones that would have a lot high calorie count than any normal sweets.

Edward whimpered in his sleep, his face scrunching up in fear. Bruce leaned down and took the bony hand into his and rubbed the back of it softly as green eyes opened slowly to look up at him.

"How are you feeling, Edward?" Bruce asked pulled a chair close and taking a seat but he didn't let go of his hand. "Do you want anything?"

"I'm sore," Edward blinked slowly. "I'm thirsty too,"

"Here," Bruce reached over to pour him a glass of water. Helping Edward sit up Bruce put the cup up to the chapped lips. "Drink slowly... Good."

Edward manged to drank the whole glass after a few minutes. "Can I have something to eat?"

"Yes," Bruce picked up his phone. "I'll call Alfred and ask him to bring you something to eat."

"Thanks."

By the time Alfred brought the food Edward was asleep again.

\--

Dick sighed as he stood outside the bedroom door. Over the passed three days they had noticed that Edward wasn't the same. Normally the redhead had so much to say, had so many things to ask, and was always laughing and smiling.

Now Edward hadn't said a word, he just stared out at nothing, wouldn't leave the bedroom, would talk to them, just nodded or shook his head. Sometimes they would hear him just crying and sobbing in his room.

A few times they heard crashing sounds and when they got there they saw Bruce holding Edward back. Edward was throwing things and breaking anything that was glass.

It left them all feeling guilty. They had become friends with Edward over the years after he had reformed and he knew who they were. They felt as if it was their fault that it took them two weeks to find him and only because Jonathan had escaped by chance and if Crane hand't than... would they bed dead by now?

Shaking his head Dick knocked on the door. "Edward? Can I come in?"

There was no answer so Dick opened the door and peeked in. He saw Edward just standing there looking out of the window. Edward looked over at him with lifeless eyes before turning back to the window.

"Hey, um, I was thinking that maybe we can go down to the gym and I can show you a routine I put together just for you and than we can eat some ice cream and maybe some cake?"

Edward just stared off at the clouds.

"Please?" Dick walked over to him. "I worked really hard on it... please?"

For a long moment Edward didn't move before he nodded. Grinning Dick took him by the hand and lead him to gym. Once there Dick did his performance and of course put everything he had into all while having fun with it.

Of course Dick was feel down when he noticed that Edward watched but wasn't into it but he was a performer so he kept smiling and when he landed he stood up and threw his hands up and his eyes widened when he saw a slightly smile on Edward's face.

\--

Bruce weighed Edward again and was glad that he had gained four pounds marking him as 102. That was good. Helping Edward down Bruce helped him to the medical table to examine him. Half way through the redhead reached down and took his hand before pulling it up to his face pressing Bruce's palm to his cheek.

Cupping his face Bruce watched him closely. They said nothing but Edward opened his eyes and looked up at him and a message got across to him.

That night Edward felt safer as Bruce sat in the chair next to his bed and held tight to his hand. 

\--


	3. Chapter 3

Jason went to check on Edward.

He knew that the other was going through this horrible ordeal and wanted to do something to help. Knocking on the door Jason waited. The door opened and Edward had that blank look on his face an he looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"Hey, uh, I thought that you might wanna come with me to do something?" Jason said awkwardly because he had come to talk to Edward and drag him out of the room but he didn't expect the older male to open the door at the first attempt. "Like… a library? Uh, a movie?"

Edward said nothing before slowly shaking his head no as he tried to close the door.

"Wait!" Jason stuck his foot into the door so Edward couldn't close it. "We can do whatever you want, but you gotta get out of this room."

Edward have him a dirty look before trying to nudge Jason's foot out of the door way but Jason grabbed onto the door frame forcing the door open his anger taking over. Without a second thought he grabbed Edward by the wrist.

"Come on, we're going outside whether you like it or not." Jason pulled Edward down the stairs and into the Wayne Family indoor theater. It was huge and had fancy plush chairs the reclined. Getting to the middle Jason made Edward sit down before sitting down as well. "Alright what do you want to watch?"

Again nothing so Jason took the remote and put it in Edward's hand.

"Come on, pick something." Jason paused. "Or we can just watch porn."

Edward glared at him before slowly scrolling through the movies slowly. After a few minutes of searching the redhead picked one of his favorite childhood movies. Clicking it Edward handed the remote back.

"See? Was that hard."

Nothing.

\--

After the movie Edward was about to get up to leave when Jason grabbed his wrist again. Tensing Edward stayed still until Jason slowly let go. The young paused before turning so he was sitting sideways in his chair.

"Hey, I just wanna let you know that if you want to talk… I'm right here because I've been there ya know..? I, uh, before I came back to the family…" Jason pasued licking his lips, this subject was hard for him to talk about but pushed on. "I've been there. The Joker… before he killed me, he tormented me. It was when I went to meet my mother. My biological mother betrayed me. Sold me out to the Joker. Bruce had told me not to go, but I didn't listen. She was helping people, saving lives so like an idiot kid I was I thought she was perfect. Than when she sold me out the Joker attacked me… He beat me ove and over again with a damn crowbar and she just stood there watched."

Edward reached over to put his hand on Jason's shoulder. The redhead wasn't sure if Jason knew that tears were falling down his face as he was talking. The dark haired anit-hero voice was cracking slowly as he told his story.

"My own mother watched him beat me. The look in her face was cold and heartless. Than when Joker had his fun he tied her up and set up a bomb. She begged for him to let her go and just kill me. I couldn't understand why she would do that to me or how she could be so kind to me only to sell me out. Than the bomb went off and Bruce was too late… just by a few seconds and when I came back from being dead I blamed the hell outta him. Seriously I hated Bruce for not saving me… we patched things up of course but… I'll never forget the pain of being beaten with a crowbar. Don't tell anyone but I still have nightmares about it… So, I get it… that kinda of pain."

Edward pulled Jason into a hug. It was a little tense but Jason hugged back feeling the bones still. Edward had to gain more weight but it wasn't as bad as it was when they found him. Still you could feel the bones.

"It's going to be okay, Jason."

The words meant more than Edward knew because not only did he talk he was also giving comfort as well as receiving it.

\--

Bruce went to check on Edward and brought his favorite foods to see if he could get some extra pounds on him. Most of the food had a ingredient that was high in fat calories and Bruce hoped it would bring the redhead back up to his normal weight.

Walking into the room he saw Edward writing in a journal. Edward looked up at him for a second before going back to writing. Walking over Bruce set down the food before sitting next to him. Edward finished what he writing before closing the book before leaning against Bruce's shoulder.

"How are you feeling?"

"…Used." Edward whispered. "I feel numb too."

"Here, eat something." Bruce said grabbing something off the tray and handing it to him. "It's really good."

"I'm not hungry." Edward tried to move away but Bruce wrapped his arm around his waist and pulled him closer before picking up some food. "Are you seriously going to feed me?"

"Yes."

"…" Edward took a bite of the food chewing ti slowly. "I don't need pity."

"It's not pity." Bruce pressed the food to Edward's lips so he'd take another bite and once all the food was gone Bruce just held him. "I can't take you on that date if you don't eat?"

"Aww," Edward let out a little smile. "You still want to take me on a date?"

"Of course."

Edward's smile faded. " I don't feel like going on a date anymore." 

"Nope, I promised you a date and besides you said yes, so you see if you like it or not I'm taking you." Bruce gave Edward a peck on the lips. "I even sprung for a cake in the shape of a question mark." 

That got the small smile back if only for a little while.


End file.
